Sunday, February 28, 2010

This was a good week for weight loss. Of course I was sick in bed for a couple of days, and usually that works in your favor when your hoping to drop some poundage. I'm down 4.4 pounds! Now at 144.9 from 149.3. I pounds! I'll take it! I drank lots of water the last 2 days so I'm not dehydrated for this week's weigh-in. I didn't want next week's weigh-in to be up just because my body had re-hydrated, and then end up feeling like I did something wrong. Hopefully I got enough water. I took a Flintstone vitamin yesterday afternoon, which made hydration somewhat difficult to gauge last night. I'm hoping I was all hydrated.

I packed my lunches again for the three days I did go to work and my night time eating was right on track.Usually being home with all the food, I don't do quite as well as when I have the structure of only having the proper portions of healthy foods I brought with me.

I said last week that I needed to be more aware of what I was putting into my mouth. This week I didn't taste what I cooked for others, unless I put it into a small dish first. This meant I did it a lot less, (twice) and I did it very conciously. I chewed gum while I was cooking, which meant I had to take my gum out to eat, and was surprised, how I caught myself this morning holding my gum about to taste the oatmeal that was left in the pan after serving, all on "auto-pilot"! Crazy. I didn't stand up to eat my dinner while working in the kitchen, as I have a habit of doing. I actually put everything I was going to eat on the plate and sat down and ate it. I feel like I don't have time to do this most nights, but in reality I do and I think it helps me to mentally feel like I've had a meal.

I went to Olive Garden for a business lunch on Monday and planned exactly what I was having, based off of my experience a few weeks ago when I went to lunch with my friend. Take a look at what I had earlier this month versus what I had on Monday.

Menu Item (2/5/2010)

Servings

Calories

Fat

Garden Fresh Salad

1

350

26!!!!!

Zuppe Toscana

2

340

8

Breadstick

2.5

375

5

TOTAL

1065

39

Versus

Menu Item (2/22/2010)

Servings

Calories

Fat

Garden Fresh Salad

(no dressing)

2.75

32

0

Parmesan Cheese hard

.25 oz

28

2

Zuppe Toscana

1

170

4

Breadstick

0

TOTAL

385

8

I've kept plenty of fruits and vegetables around and the cupboards don't have much in them that really tempts me.

I made a spinach and parmesan quinoa dish that was really good. Kaylee liked it too, but asked for more Parmesan. Dennis said it was OK. This was a recipe I got from BigOven.

I am really trying to get out of saying it wrong, It's "keen'-wah" not "qui-no'-uh".

The leftover quinoa softened up quite a bit overnight. Surprised me a little. I thought it would keep it's crunch... guess not.
Overall I'm down 8.0 pounds this month. (Started counting when I did my BodPod measurement.)

Here I am in the BodPod trying very hard to breathe normally and not move. Just reminds me of Mork and Mindy... " Nanoo, Nanoo!! from Planet Ork!" I think the egg shaped space ship and the swim cap make me look very Orkan.
My BodyBugg Data Report for the month:

My target for Calories Burned is very doable, but high enough I have to do some exercise or I won't hit it. Kaylee probably helped me out a little bit on this, I think she was wearing it the day that I showed the highest activity.

March is going to be fabulous. I'm going to focus on logging my food and moving more. TOM is always a difficult week as far as munching so I am going to need to put together some strategies that reduce stress and keep me out of the front of the open refrigerator. ...maybe some activity that burns calories!

Confidence level heading into March on a scale of 1 to 10?
10, Baby, 10!!!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Today I weighed in at 149.3, down 1.7 from last week.
What went well this last week? I made some healthy banana almond snack bread that was very filling and yummy. I planned and shopped for and made 3 meals. I've prepped my chicken for the coming week. It's cooked, frozen, and ready to take for lunches (it's usually thawed perfectly by lunchtime). I've portioned Frozen Blueberries out and those are ready. I've been very consistent about packing my lunches. We ate out at Buca de Beppos and I ate some of everything, and I must have done well enough the rest of the week that I still lost. SCORE!! Also, I've just felt more centered overall.

What could have gone better? Just staying aware of what I'm putting into my mouth, the bites, licks and tastes when I cook, I think I quit paying attention to those and they are adding up. Gotta stay away from adding the Coffee-Mate to my coffee. I think I did this 3 or 4 times. I could have preplanned a few food choices for our night out, maybe drank a big thing of water on the way to the restaurant.

General stuff:
I have had my BodyBugg for about 3 weeks now and it's really helped me to see what's been going on with the "Maintenance" stage I've been in. I can see from tracking (and we all know you don't NEED a BodyBugg to track) that although I feel like I"m doing good MOST of the time, I've established a pretty predictable pattern.
I eat according to plan, creating a "Calorie Deficit" (burning more calories than I consume), which is exactly what I need to do to drop some poundage.
Then I eat more calories than I should, which cancels out the "Calorie Deficit" goal I worked to get, and then I eat the amount of calories needed to maintain. All of this happens every week. There's various "reasons" behind it, and it doesn't always happen in that order, but the calories tell the same story. Very interesting... and useful information! I really am getting the results for what I put into this. I love the accountability. I like feeling accountable for choices, as opposed to the frustration that comes with not realizing what's going wrong.
Using the BodyBugg, I can see why Tosca Reno says the "beautiful body formula" is 80% Nutrition, 10% Training and 10% genetics. I believed it, but when I saw my workout calorie impact versus the "what I put in my mouth" calorie impact... it all makes total sense.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Last Week's Weigh-In?
No, I didn't forget, I just hate posting that it's not better, or in this case not as good as the previous week. (I was up 2 pounds.)

So back to why I thought blogging weekly weigh-ins was a good idea...

It's a way to hold myself accountable.
It's a way to celebrate when I was successful as well as "fess up" if I wasn't trying hard enough.
It's a way to support others and be supported in this endeavor.
It's a time to review the past week and see what went well and what didn't. Using that information, I would be able to better "FOCUS" on what was needed for the upcoming week and stay successful, a motivational tool for me.
Honestly though, I'm having a tough time seeing it as a motivational tool for me when I don't show a loss on the scale. But, if I just stop blogging, when I' still have road to travel, what else would I be giving up? Would I lose another pound? Maybe, maybe not. But at least part of me thinks if I stop posting weekly-weigh-ins that it would be the first step to giving up. I don't want to go there. So I'll continue on... and I will make real progress again, ... cuz I'll make sure. See ya tomorrow, rain or shine!

Pour olive oil into wok and heat over medium high heat. Add ground turkey, red onion and green onion bulbs and celery and cook until meat is no longer pink.

Add carrot, tomato, pepper and basil and salt and cook until carrots and peppers have softened (about 6 minutes).

Mix sesame oil, plum sauce and curry together in one side of wok, then stir / toss to coat the turkey and vegetable mixture.

Tosca used the same amount of vegetables and 1/2 the turkey that I did. I liked the way mine turned out and there is more for later. We ended up serving our lettuce wraps as a salad, because our head of lettuce did not produce nice flat leaves, but we put a half cup over a big bowl of lettuce pieces and it was MARVELOUS.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

52 Weeks... One year of Weigh-Ins!!! I have learned so so much!!! ... about nutrition information, about calories and macro-nutrients, and food choices and myself...
I'm still here and I'm still doing this. GO ME!!!! WooHoooo!!!

I weighed in at 149.0 today, so I guess the punishment from frequenting the dessert bar wasn't as bad as it looked... I am so glad!!! Still, not a lesson that I'll soon be forgetting... SCARY!!!! But enough of that!

The Bod Pod measurement was cool. I am 27% fat... This puts me in a "Moderate" category which is one of the two healthiest categories. It also reaffirms to me that my goal weight of 140 is right on the mark. That will put me well into the "Lean" category...(which is the other healthiest category)

At 140 it looks like my % Body Fat will be right around 21%. I plan to get another measurement once I've been at goal for a few weeks. Just to see where I'm at. I think 18 - 22% sounds like a very happy % Fat Number.

Live with Intention

Where is your Focus?

About Me

Hey! This is where I blog about where I'm headed and how I'm getting there. With varying intensity, but determined focus, I work on trying to be the best me I can.
...I am wife to a man who inspires me and loves me. He is my support, my best friend and love of my life. I am stronger because of him. He encourages, motivates and even jumps on board when our goals coincide, and they often do. We should all be so lucky...
We're working hard and learning to be more healthy and active, and to live well and well within our means. Still, remembering to enjoy and indulge in simple pleasures, our life as a couple, and family togetherness.